Resource allocation and network sharing between a multiple of 3G-service providers

A radio network controller, for setting up a radio traffic channel for at least one user equipment in a cellular radio network exploiting CDMA-access scheme, the network being shared between at least first and second network providers offering high bit rate services, the user equipment communicating with the radio network controller at least via up/down-link control channel/s, the radio network controller comprising:

• a processing unit configured to access a computer readable storage unit having stored therein a first entry with stored information defining a first part of the network's high bit rate traffic channels associated and linked with the first network provider, and at least a second entry with stored information defining a second part of the network's high bit rate traffic channels associated and linked with the second network provider, each part representing an allocation of traffic channel resources to the respective network provider,
• wherein the first and second parts do not share any common traffic channels, and
• the processing unit is further configured to
• associate the user equipment with the first network provider;
• detect a call set-up request for the user equipment;
• fetch, from the storage unit, the first part of traffic channels associated with the first network provider and the second part of traffic channels associated with the second network provider;
• identify an unused traffic channel in a form of a frequency in combination with a spreading code by searching among the traffic channel resources of the first part and in response to reduced availability of the traffic channel resources of the first part, by searching among the traffic channel resources of the second part that provides an idle traffic channel resource on a second frequency associated with the second network provider, said second frequency being exploitable by the first network provider;
• allocate the identified unused traffic channel, having the frequency and the spreading code, to the user equipment;
• and
• set up a radio traffic channel between the user equipment and the base station by exploiting the allocated traffic channel resource, including the frequency and the spreading code.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein a computer program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute a method for setting up a radio traffic channel exploiting CDMA-access scheme in a cellular radio network, the network shared between at least first and second network providers offering high bit rate services to at least one user equipment through at least one node in a first cell, including a radio network controller (RNC) connected with a base station, the method comprising:

• dividing a total of high bit rate traffic channel resources of the network into at least first and second network provider specific parts, the first and second parts not sharing any common traffic channels, and each part representing an allocation of traffic channel resources to the respective network provider;
• associating the first network provider with the first part and the second network provider with the second part;
• associating the user equipment initiated in a first cell with the first network provider;
• detecting a call set-up request for the user equipment;
• identifying an unused traffic channel in a form of a frequency in combination with a spreading code, by searching among the traffic channel resources of the first part, and in response to reduced availability of the traffic channel resources of the first part, by searching among the traffic channel resources of the second part that provides an idle traffic channel resource on a second frequency associated with the second network provider, said second frequency being exploitable by the first network provider;
• allocating the identified unused traffic channel, having the frequency and the spreading code, to the user equipment;
• and
• setting up a radio traffic channel between the user equipment and the base station by exploiting the allocated traffic channel resource, including the frequency and the spreading code.